Character Trading Card Game Method of Play and Property Verification

ABSTRACT

A novel method of game play and registration of content that is in one embodiment in the form of trading cards. However, the method of game play may take other forms such as computer games, electronic games, networked games, and video games. The method of registration of content may be applied to other embodiments such as movies, video games, interactive entertainment, books, music, and art. In one version of the game a card&#39;s strengths and weaknesses and consequently effectiveness are modified by another Key Card&#39;s strengths and weaknesses. The goal of this game is to collect enough territory cards to become the winner of the game. Players may also verify the authenticity and register their card&#39;s (or other property&#39;s) unique non-serial identification sequence comprised of numerical, alphabetic, and character values and access further intellectual property.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

There are numerous games that are played using playing cards in a 52 card configuration. These games are widely known and have been in the public domain for years. Most of these games use the same elements of the cards to determine their value, such as the color of the card, the suit, or the numeric or character value associated with it. In most of these games the value of the card is not modified during the play of the game, unless played in conjunction with other cards of same or similar characteristics.

Playing cards are limited by what type of elements are printed on them. Typically, only one number or character value is associated with a particular card. This limits the number of combinations and possibilities that may come into play when a game is constructed.

Trading cards however are traditionally associated with public figures such as professional sports athletes, political figures, and recently have been used to identify wanted enemy combatants in war time. There are also trading cards that contain fictional characters which provide an element of fantasy and art to the genre. Trading cards are exchanged between like minded enthusiasts, collectors, traders, sold by merchants, and won in games and tournaments.

With both playing cards and trading cards, the card itself has no extrinsic value. Its value may derive from the “rarity” or obscurity of the card. Further, there is no way to determine the authenticity of the card, or that it is not counterfeit with certainty.

There currently exists no way to verify a card's or game element's authenticity and add value to the card by allowing players to collect points by registering each unique game element or card by a unique non-serial identification sequence comprised of numerical, alphabetic, and character values; and no method of play exists where the effectiveness of one card is controlled by the chance paring of two numbers on one card and three numbers on a another card.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

In one embodiment, the present invention is directed to a game for one or more players. The game components include rules of play and a plurality of game components, one or more of the game components having limited availability to the players, the game elements being freely tradable among the players, but limited as to their registration and value as determined by the number of times that they have been registered.

In another form, the present invention consists of a novel way of tracking and verifying the validity and authenticity of intellectual and physical property, including but not limited to game components, motion pictures, music, data files, artwork, licenses, and other intellectual or physical property. The process of registration of property includes a unique non-serial identification sequence comprised of numerical, alphabetic, and character values, which each individual property is marked; and subsequently registering the unique non-serial identification sequence comprised of numerical, alphabetic, and character values via a networked group of computers.

In accordance with another aspect of the above mentioned invention, the player separates the cards according to the rules of play and begins the process of drawing, collecting, trading, and exchanging drawn and won cards with other opponents, teammates, or as a single player.

In accordance with another aspect of the above mentioned invention, the a players choices are limited and driven by using the cards that they are dealt to match up their numbers with certain key cards that are in play on the playing surface. A card's values changes based on the strengths and weaknesses that they are attributed with in relation to the strengths and weaknesses of other cards in play. Based on the total effectiveness of their cards, a player may win or lose a hand when comparing his card's effectiveness against his opponents.

In accordance with another aspect of the above mentioned invention, a player may use his/her won cards to exchange for other game components based on the value of the listed amount of both cards. These cards may be collected to total the winning amount to exchange those cards for the card that represents the winning element of the game.

In accordance with another aspect of the above mentioned invention, a player may trade their won cards with other players and collectors as a form of novelty and entertainment. These trades may be based on skill, chance, and a collector' savvy.

In accordance with another aspect of the above mentioned invention, each game element may be marked with a unique non-serial identification sequence comprised of numerical, alphabetic, and character values that may be registered or checked to verify the authenticity and collectability of a game element. This unique non-serial identification sequence comprised of numerical, alphabetic, and character values may apply to other intellectual property/registration rights as well.

In accordance with another aspect of the above mentioned invention, a unique non-serial identification sequence comprised of numerical, alphabetic, and character values is entered into a networked computer, verified and registered against an existing data source on one of the networked computers that will match the unique non-serial identification sequence comprised of numerical, alphabetic, and character values to the property element.

In accordance with another aspect of the above mentioned invention, a property element may be registered against the data source a limited number of times by different individuals to ensure that the value of the property is diminished after the limited number of registrations have been completed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of a sample trading card a preferred embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 1 A. is a front view of a key trading card a preferred embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a back view of a trading card showing the unique non-serial identification sequence comprised of numerical, alphabetic, and character values a preferred embodiment of this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

This present invention comprises a trading card game and a novel means of tracking intellectual property. In one embodiment, the method of tracking and verifying the authenticity of intellectual property is applied to a trading card game and method of play.

In one embodiment, the trading cards in this game are comprised of Assassin cards, Territory cards, and Gang Boss cards. A deck would contain 5 Boss cards, 12 Territory cards, and 36 Assassin cards.

In one embodiment each player receives an equal amount of Territory cards dealt face down and 5 Assassin cards dealt face down as well. Each player selects one of their opponents Territory cards to act as their Key Card and begins to fight their Assassin cards against their opponent. The winner of the most Assassin cards may use those cards to purchase Territories from the Bank. The player that reaches a specified value with their collection of Territories is the winner and made a Gang Boss. The winner may select their Gang Boss card of their choice.

Referring to FIG. 1, that represents an Assassin trading card, 12 the value of that card is used when purchasing the Territory cards. The 14 strength and 18 weakness of the card will be matched against the Key Card and will determine if the 16 effectiveness of the card is changed. The 10 Name, 22 picture, and 20 description of the Assassin are used to differentiate it from other Assassin cards.

Referring to FIG 1A, that represents a Territory Card, 24 the value of the card is used when determining the purchase price of the Territory. The 26 strength and 28 weakness are used when the card is being used as a Key Card to determine any increase or decrease in the effectiveness of an Assassin card that is being played. The 34 Name, 30 picture, and 32 description of the Territory card are used to differentiate it from other Territory cards.

FIG. 2, that represents the back of each card or intellectual property is 36 the logo or trademark of the property. The 40 identifies the property by providing additional textual details. The 38 Unique non-serial identification sequence comprised of numerical, alphabetic, and character values is used to identify that particular card, or other intellectual property or physical property. The Id sequence is non-serial so that one cannot guess at what the sequence will be. Also, it provides millions of possible combinations that can be registered to a single property to uniquely identify that property's authenticity and to register that property via a networked group of computers matching that unique non-serial identification sequence comprised of numerical, alphabetic, and character values to a sequence stored on one of the networked computers. The number of times that a unique non-serial identification sequence comprised of numerical, alphabetic, and character values may be registered can be limited to ensure that a products value diminishes over time.

This unique non-serial identification sequence comprised of numerical, alphabetic, and character values is used to combat piracy, theft, misappropriation, unauthorized sharing, and conversion. This unique non-serial identification sequence comprised of numerical, alphabetic, and character values may also be used to track the use of the property by the end user and by the owner or distributor of that property. Further, by registering the unique non-serial identification sequence comprised of numerical, alphabetic, and character values and therefore the property, the end user may be given benefits for registering the property such as access to additional intellectual property. This additional intellectual property could be in the form of games, music, video games, movies, books interactive entertainment or tracking points.

The instructions for playing various forms of the above invention are described in the publication entitled, Union of Assassins-Related Games published by Brad L. Callaway, copyright 2003 and registered in the U.S. Library of Congress, Copyright Office under Certificate of Registration Txu 1-135-682. This publication is specifically incorporated by reference.

It is also contemplated that the present invention can be applied to video games, music, movies, computers, programming code, books, visual performances, television, other trading card games, motion pictures, photographs, art, broadcasts, data sequences, biological sequences, and all other forms of intellectual property and intellectual property collections; as well as non intellectual property that exists in a tangible form.

The within-described invention may be embodied in other specific forms and with additional options and accessories without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The presently disclosed embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein. 

1. A method of playing a character-based trading card game involving one or more players applying rules for game play that include instructions for dealing, drawing, playing, exchanging, collecting, calculating points, and collecting a plurality of game components comprising the following steps: each player separates the game components into a predetermined number as specified in the rules of play; and each player arranges game components onto a playing medium according to the category of component; and each player executes a series of turns in accordance with the rules of play, each turn comprises of the player choosing which game component to play based on the corresponding values of three of that component's values in relation to other game components on the playing medium.
 2. A method of verifying property and game components by registration and validation of a unique non-serial identification sequence comprised of numerical, alphabetic, and character values comprising the following steps: collecting game or property components by trading, purchasing, and by winning the components from others and registering/verifying those components unique non-serial identification sequence comprised of numerical, alphabetic, and character values sequence which may consist of: a. unique sets of numbers, letters, or characters printed on or associated with each individual game component; and b. textual separators of those numbers, letters, or characters that makes them more easily identifiable; and entering and registering each game component's unique non-serial identification sequence comprised of numerical, alphabetic, and character values via a networked group of computers and verifying the id sequence via a database or data source located on one of the networked computers.
 3. The method of claim 2, where said registration of property, content or components may be limited to the number of times that it can be registered, verified, and used.
 4. The method of claim 2, where said registration of content or components will allow a user to access additional intellectual property in the form of stories, content, artwork, movies, music, books, games, cards, game components, video games, and all other mediums of intellectual property and art work.
 5. The method of claim 2, where said registration of game components using unique non-serial identification sequence comprised of numerical, alphabetic, and character values sequences is uniquely issued to each item of content or component will be in a non-serial manner. 